Can opener



May 14, 1935. p, FARRELL 2,001,303

CAN OPENER Filed May 11, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR [97/4/1 b. Fflfi'fiEZ L.

LMQQQWM ATTORNEY Patented May 14, 1935 FATE NT OFFICE.

CAN OPENER Philip H. Farrell, Flushing, N. Y. Application May 11, 1933, Serial No.-670,39 l

4 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a can opener. The object of the invention is the production of a can opener, with which the covers of 'cans of different diameters and depths can be easily out or severed; therefrom, without leaving any burs or rough edges'on the cans.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of an exemplification of the can opener in its open or extended position; Fig. 2 shows aright hand side view of Fig. 2; Fig. 3 indicates a rear view of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 represents a partial side view and section as on the line 4, l of Fig. 1 with the can opener in itsclosed position with a fragmentary portion of a can in sectional elevation and. a fragmentary portion of a can in dotted lines; Fig. 5 shows a section of Fig. l on the line 5, 5 and the top view of 'a can in dotted lines; Fig. 6 represents a front elevation similar to Fig. l with a modification and Fig. 7 shows a partial right hand view and section of Fig. 6 as on the line 1, 1 and a fragmentary elevation of a can partly in vertical section.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 the can opener is indicated in this instance, to comprise the lower supporting am having the body portion which at its upper end has integral therewith the head 2!; with the projecting portion 22. A notch 24 is'indicated in the front face of the lower portion ofthe head M, and ears 25 are integral with the upperportion of said head. A supporting heel 26 having the horizontalsupporting flange 2'! is fastened to the outer face of the body portion. To the inner :face of the head 2 tis fastened the supporting bracket 30 having the lower edge 3|, and-the side walls32- The walls 32 have integral therewith locking-heels 33. In the body portion 29 of the supporting arm isindicated an elongated opening 36, and at the upper end of said opening '36 there is indicated the shouldered portion or rabbet 3! integral with .said body portion 20. The operating lever of the can opener designated in its entirety by the numeral 4, which at its lower end has projecting therefrom the lug 4!. The latter is pivoted to the ears 25; by means of the pivottZ. The lower face! of the lever 30 is at right angles to its longitudinal-axis and a cutter is integral with the lo'wer'end ofthe lever 40. A curved knife blade 41 is indicated having the tapered cuttting edges 48 at its lower end. The latter meet in the piercing point 49. A reinforcing member 50 is secured to the inner face of the knife blade 41, and it is to be noted that it could be integral with the blade. At the upper end of the knife blade 41 are indicated the ears 52. The latter (01.30-3) v I I are pivoted to the operating. lever 40 bymeansofv the pivot 53. .A plate spring is shown with the curved lower end 56. The upper end of the spring- 55- is fastened to the inner edge of the lever 40, and its curved lowerendfitinthis instance bears ainst the inner-faceof the curved blade Inthe opening 36 ofthe supporting having the body portion 20 is pivotedby means of the pivot 59, the supplementalsupporting arm Gil, having an upperforked endwith' the. members 6 I. The arm can be positioned with one of the members 6| of its forked end bearing against one of the faces of the rabbet 31, as indicated in Fig. 4 or with its other member. 6 I bearing against the other face of said rabbet 31- u A can, see Figs. 4 and 5.is shownwith the cylindrical wa1l65, thebottom wall 66 with the bottom circumferential seamt'l. and the top-wall or cover 68 with the circumferentialseam 69. A second and smaller can'is'indicated with the cylindrical wall-13, the bottom wall Bland the top wall or cover 75 with its flange 16. To use the can opener described and shown in Figs.- lto 5, if a large can as shown with the [cylindrical wall 65, is, to be opened, its upper circumfe'rentialseam 69 is positioned into the notch-24, and the outer face of its Wall is brought to bear against the inner face of the body portion-20 of the lower supporting arm and held in place. At the same time theloweredge Slof the supporting bracket 30 is posi tioned to bear on thetop face of the seam fifl and the locking heels 33- ;are brought to bear against the inner face of the seam 69. 'In thisinstance'one of the members 6l-of the supplemental supporting arm 60 is forced against the rabbet 37 to clearthe said arm 60 from the wall 65 of the can. The user now swings the operating lever 45 in the direction of the arrow A, Fig. 2, and the piercing point 49 of the curved knife blade 31 is positioned at the circumferential edge of the cover 68adjacent' toits' seam 69. The curved lower end 56 of thespring 55 positions the knife blade l'l in proper'operative position.

The'lev'er 40 is swung inthe direction of the said arrow until'it assumes'ahorizontal position as indicated in Fig. 4, when the knife blade 47 will have pierced the cover 58 of the can and be positioned in a vertical plane. The operating lever 40 is then swung in a direction opposite the arrow A, Fig. 2, by which the knife blade 41 will be withdrawn from the can. The user then moves the can opener a short distance on the circumferential seam 69 and repeats the steps described until the cover 68 is completely out from the cirupon.

If a can as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4

is to have openings pierced in its topwall 1'5, the

bottom wall 14 is supported upon the supporting flange 21 of the heel 26, and the flange 16 is brought to bear against the projecting portion 22.

The supplemental supporting arm 60 is positioned to locate one of the members 61 of its forked end against the outer face of the rabbet 31. The operator then swings the operating lever 40 in a direction opposite tojthe arrow A, Fig. 2 and the cutter 45 will cut an opening in the cover of the can. The user then moves the can opener to another position on the can and a second opening is cut in the cover as "desired. r

If a very small can is tohave its cover cut therefrom the supplemental supporting arm 60 is swung to aposition opposite to that shown in Fig. 4, and the bottom of the can is supported on the member 6!, protruding from the supporting arm having the body portion 20. The upper seam of the small can may be positioned in the notch 24, and the coveris cut as described for the can having the cylindrical wall 65 Referring to Figs. 6 and 7 the invention is modified by not including the cutter 45, and the supplemental supporting arm 60.

In this modification the can opener is indicated with the lower supporting arm having the body portion 80 with its notch 24. To the upper portion of the body portion 80 is fastened the supporting bracket 30 with its side walls 32 and looking heels 33. The operating lever is again indicated at 40, which is pivoted to the supporting arm 80, by means of the pivot 42. The curved knife blade is again indicated at 4'! with its tapered cutting edges 48 and piercing point 49. The reinforcing member for the knife'blade is again indicated at 5D.' The said knife blade 41 is again .pivoted to the operating lever 40 by means of the pivot 53. The plate spring for knife blade is again'indicated at 55. The can is again shown with the cylindrical wall 65, the bottom circumferential seam 61, and the top wall orcover 68 with its seam69. The cover is cut by swinging the operating level 40 in the direction of the arrow A, Fig. '7 andthe same steps are taken as already described. In this modification the lever 40 is not provided with any cutter 45.

It will be noted that when the can having the cylindrical wall 63 is operated upon, that its circumferential seam 69 is positioned in the notch 24, which with the supporting bracket 30 looks the can in place, and prevents it rising or lowering when the knife blade 41 rises, or lowers. The said can may be of different diameters and depths.

Various modifications may be made in the invention and the present exemplification is to be taken as illustrative and not limitative thereof.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a can opener the combination of a supporting arm, said arm having a notch in its front face at the upper end thereof, a supporting bracket fastened to the front face of said arm above said notch, locking heels depending from said bracket, an operative leverpivoted to the upper end of said supporting arm and a knife blade pivoted to the lower end of said operating lever, said supporting arm adapted to support a vcan with its upper seam positioned in said notch, and the lower edge of the said supporting bracket bearing on the upper face of the seam of the can and the said locking heels positioned opposite the inner face of said seam.

2.. Ina can opener the combination of a supporting arm having a notch in its front face at the upper end thereof, a supporting bracket fastened to the front face of said arm above said notch, an operating lever pivoted to the upper end of said supporting arm, a knife blade pivoted to the lower endv of said operating lever and a spring having one end thereof fastened to said operating lever and its other end bearing on' the inner face of said knife'blade.

3. ma can opener the combination of a supporting arm having an elongated opening therein, a'rabbet 'formed with said supportingarm at the upper end of its elongated opening, a supplemental supporting arm positioned in the said elongatedopening of said supporting arm and its lower end pivoted thereto, an upperforked end comprising apair of members integral with said supplemental supporting arm, an operating lever pivoted to the upper end of 'said supporting arm and a knife blade pivoted to the lower end of said operating lever, said supplemental supporting arm adapted to be positioned with one of the members of its forked end bearing against said rabbet and its other member adapted to support a can. r

4. In a can opener the combination of a lower supporting arm, a head integral with said supporting arm having a projecting portion at the rear face of said arm and having a notch in its front face, said supporting arm having an elongated opening, a rabbet integral with said supporting armat the upperv end of its elongated opening, a supplemental supporting arm posi tioned in said opening, and pivoted'to said arm, an upper forked end for the "supplemental supporting arm comprising a pair of members adapted to coact with the opposite sides of said rabbet, a supporting bracket fastened to the inner face of said supporting arm, locking heels depending fromsaid bracket, an operating lever having its lower end pivoted to the upper end of said supporting arm, a curved knife blade pivoted to the lower end of said operating lever at the front face thereof and a spring having one end thereof fastened to inner face of the operating lever and its other end bearing on said curved knife blade.

PHILIP H. FARRELL. 

